Sealing plate for use with rail clip anchoring device

Abstract

A sealing plate ( 2 ), for use with a rail clip anchoring device having a head and a stem which extends from the head into a concrete sleeper when the anchoring device is in use, wherein the plate is adapted for extending over the underside of the head when the stem of the device is being set in a concrete sleeper, thereby to prevent ingress of concrete into the head of the device, and for being retained on the surface of the sleeper thereafter, and a face ( 20 ) of the plate which is to be exposed on the surface of the sleeper is not adapted to receive part of a rail clip.

1 . A structure for use with a rail clip anchoring device having a head and a stem which extends from the head into a concrete sleeper when the anchoring device is in use the structure comprising a sealing plate, wherein the plate is adapted for extending over the underside of the head when the stem of the device is being set in a concrete sleeper, thereby to prevent ingress of concrete into the head of the device, and for being retained on the surface of the sleeper thereafter, and a face of the plate which is to be exposed on the surface of the sleeper is not adapted to receive part of a rail clip. 
     
     
         2 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plate is formed of plastics material. 
     
     
         3 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plate is substantially rectangular in outline. 
     
     
         4 . A structure as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein one edge of the plate has a cut-out portion shaped for receiving a portion of the head of the anchoring device adjacent to the stem thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A structure as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the said cut-out portion has a bevelled edge which matches a bevelled edge of the said portion of the head of the anchoring device. 
     
     
         6 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises locating means for locating the plate on the head of the anchoring device. 
     
     
         7 . A structure as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the said locating means comprise at least one tab protruding from a major face of the plate for engaging with a corresponding feature on the anchoring device. 
     
     
         8 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the major surfaces of the plate are formed with one or more apertures therethrough for receiving respective portions of the anchoring device which extend from the underside of the head of the anchoring device. 
     
     
         9 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the major face of the plate which is lowermost when the sleeper is in use is provided with strengthening ribs which intersect to define a plurality of rebates. 
     
     
         10 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes a concrete sleeper into which the plate has been set, wherein the major face of the plate which is uppermost when the sleeper is in use is flush with the uppermost surface of the concrete sleeper. 
     
     
         11 . A structure as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the major face of the plate which is lowermost when the sleeper is in use is provided with strengthening ribs which intersect to define a plurality of rebates and the said rebates are filled with concrete. 
     
     
         12 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , in combination with an anchoring device for use in retaining a railway rail fastening clip, the anchoring device comprising two interconnected spaced-apart walls, between which a portion of the clip to be retained is held when the anchoring device is in use, and clip-engaging means, supported by the walls, for engaging a portion of the rail fastening clip to be retained, wherein the device does not have any feature or surface which engages the surface of that clip portion which faces downwardly when the clip is in use. 
     
     
         13 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1 , in combination with an anchoring device for use in retaining a railway rail fastening clip, the device comprising two interconnected spaced-apart walls, between which a portion of the clip to be retained is held when the anchoring device is in use, and clip-engaging means, supported by the said walls, defining contact regions at which the device engages the rail clip to be retained when the clip bears on a railway rail, the device not engaging the clip at any other region of the device when the clip is bearing on the rail in normal operation, wherein none of the said contact regions of the device can be seen when the anchoring device is viewed from above when in its operative orientation in which it will be used when adjacent to a railway rail and wherein all of the said contact regions of the device can be seen when the anchoring device is viewed from below when in the said operative orientation before combination with the said sealing plate. 
     
     
         14 . A structure as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the walls of the anchoring device are interconnected by a connection portion which has a part which extends between the said walls from the one end thereof, which will be closest to the railway rail when the device is in use, towards the other end thereof and has a top surface which extends in a downwardly-inclined direction so as to form a ramp for deflecting a portion of the said railway rail fastening clip to be retained as it is driven into the anchoring device, and a tab on the sealing plate is operable to engage with the said ramp of the anchoring device. 
     
     
         15 . A structure as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the said connection portion of the anchoring device has another part which extends between the said one end of the walls below the said top surface to form a bearing face. 
     
     
         16 . A structure as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the height of the said bearing face is less than that of the said walls. 
     
     
         17 . A structure as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the height of the said connection portion at the said one end of the head is approximately half that of the said walls. 
     
     
         18 . A structure as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the said part of the connection portion forming a ramp is connected to the said walls along its side edges. 
     
     
         19 . A structure as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a railway rail clip anchoring device for retaining a railway rail fastening clip having a first part for bearing on a railway rail and a component comprising a first portion, adapted to receive a lateral load from the rail when located between a substantially upright face of the rail clip anchoring device and the side of the foot of an adjacent railway rail when the assembly is in use, and a second portion for location on an opposite side of the anchoring device for receiving a second bearing part of the railway rail clip, the first portion and the second portion of the component being spaced apart and interconnected by a connection portion; wherein the anchoring device comprises two interconnected spaced-apart walls, between which a portion of the clip to be retained is held when the anchoring device is in use, and clip-engaging means, supported by the walls, for engaging a portion of the rail fastening clip to be retained, wherein the device does not have any feature or surface which engages the surface of that clip portion which faces downwardly when the clip is in use.